Death is a subject that no one likes to talk or think about, especially when it has to do with the people we hold close to us. Unfortunately, by overlooking this tragic life event, we are creating a large sustainability problem. Current body treatment and rituals are harmful to both the environment and the people who practice them. They are using up precious land space and costing families large amounts of money. Unfortunately, a lot of death rituals are shrouded in tradition and religious beliefs, so to fix this problem, the global perspective on death needs to change first.
One of the most wasteful practices associated with death is the current practice of burying bodies in cemeteries. When bodies are prepared for burial, they are injected with various toxic chemicals to preserve them for funerals and loved ones to say goodbye. In doing so, this now turns a body, which started as a non-toxic object, into a highly toxic one. Additionally, the coffins that bodies are buried in use an expansive amount of natural resources, which in turn are bad for the environment when they begin to break down. The cemeteries where these burials take place are no better though. They require constant upkeep and pesticides to maintain pleasant viewing spaces for families to visit their loved ones.
Cremations seem to be the most obvious first solution to this problem. They require less land for burial, if any, and no natural resources are needed to make a casket. The issue now lies with the energy consumption needed to cremate a body. The estimated amount of energy that is required has the potential to fuel a car for 4800 miles. In addition to energy use, cremation releases a lot of carbon dioxide and chemicals found in the body into the atmosphere. Cremation does not eliminate the need to use embalming fluid to preserve a body for viewing. So by burning the body, it is releases these toxins directly into the atmosphere faster than if the body has been buried.
There are many solutions to this problem though, that range from simple changes to radical new ideas. One of the most controversial solutions is the reuse of burial plots. By reusing plots after an extended period of time, this will allow cemeteries to continue to function without having to expand their land use. Green burials have also begun to hit the scene. These burials require no preservation fluids or resource intensive caskets. Instead, the body is buried in a shroud on land that will become a nature preserve. No headstones are used to mark burial locations and the land is left alone to allow nature to run its course.
For the more adventurous, new types of cremation that do not involve large energy inputs have become available. Promessa, or cryocremation, involved the use of liquid nitrogen. The body is frozen in this and then agitated into dust. Resomation, on the other hand, requires the body to be submerged in potassium hydroxide until the soft tissue dissolves, leaving only the bones behind. The bones are then crushed and given back to the family. Once either of these techniques has been utilized, the remains could be buried or made into reef balls. These balls are then placed in coral reefs, where they help promote growth and vegetation.
While all of these ideas seem plausible, there is still the concern over traditions and beliefs. Some cultures and religions define what the correct way to dispose of or process a body after death is. These new ideas don’t usually make the cut amongst those set in their ways. To truly be able to fix this problem, cultural norms and beliefs need to change and these solutions need to be given time for the newness to wear off.
One of the most wasteful practices associated with death is the current practice of burying bodies in cemeteries. When bodies are prepared for burial, they are injected with various toxic chemicals to preserve them for funerals and loved ones to say goodbye. In doing so, this now turns a body, which started as a non-toxic object, into a highly toxic one. Additionally, the coffins that bodies are buried in use an expansive amount of natural resources, which in turn are bad for the environment when they begin to break down. The cemeteries where these burials take place are no better though. They require constant upkeep and pesticides to maintain pleasant viewing spaces for families to visit their loved ones.
Cremations seem to be the most obvious first solution to this problem. They require less land for burial, if any, and no natural resources are needed to make a casket. The issue now lies with the energy consumption needed to cremate a body. The estimated amount of energy that is required has the potential to fuel a car for 4800 miles. In addition to energy use, cremation releases a lot of carbon dioxide and chemicals found in the body into the atmosphere. Cremation does not eliminate the need to use embalming fluid to preserve a body for viewing. So by burning the body, it is releases these toxins directly into the atmosphere faster than if the body has been buried.
There are many solutions to this problem though, that range from simple changes to radical new ideas. One of the most controversial solutions is the reuse of burial plots. By reusing plots after an extended period of time, this will allow cemeteries to continue to function without having to expand their land use. Green burials have also begun to hit the scene. These burials require no preservation fluids or resource intensive caskets. Instead, the body is buried in a shroud on land that will become a nature preserve. No headstones are used to mark burial locations and the land is left alone to allow nature to run its course.
For the more adventurous, new types of cremation that do not involve large energy inputs have become available. Promessa, or cryocremation, involved the use of liquid nitrogen. The body is frozen in this and then agitated into dust. Resomation, on the other hand, requires the body to be submerged in potassium hydroxide until the soft tissue dissolves, leaving only the bones behind. The bones are then crushed and given back to the family. Once either of these techniques has been utilized, the remains could be buried or made into reef balls. These balls are then placed in coral reefs, where they help promote growth and vegetation.
While all of these ideas seem plausible, there is still the concern over traditions and beliefs. Some cultures and religions define what the correct way to dispose of or process a body after death is. These new ideas don’t usually make the cut amongst those set in their ways. To truly be able to fix this problem, cultural norms and beliefs need to change and these solutions need to be given time for the newness to wear off.